Shadow of the Coalition Page 7

  His voice struck a chord, almost hypnotizing her with the sound. A slight smile played on his lips as she looked up into captivating blue eyes. Longing, desire, and a flood of other emotions rushed through her. Desperately wanting to touch and channel energy toward him, Kayla struggled against the urge to throw herself into his arms and succumb to her desires.

  Alec lifted her hand and pressed a small kiss against it. Just the slightest touch from him had her senses reeling, and she gasped as a small amount of energy trickled over her. Kayla trembled, and her resolve further weakened as his warm energy enveloped her.

  He took a step closer so they were standing barely inches apart. The intoxicating scent of his skin along with the faint aroma of incense filled her nose. Completely aware of her conflicted emotions and desires, Alec offered a slow, triumphant smile. “I admit, I wasn’t sure what sort of reaction I would get when I saw you again. I’m glad it was this one. Are you going to invite me inside?”

  Time seemed to stop, and Kayla blinked in confusion. Her eyes widened as she recalled they were still standing in the doorway.

  Yeah, real classy. Way to go, Kayla. Just stare at the gorgeous man like a complete idiot and fantasize about jumping him right there in the hall. Shit, I’m in big trouble here.

  Chapter Four

  “I’ve missed your wit,” Alec said with a chuckle.

  Suddenly snapping back to herself, Kayla’s eyes narrowed. The intrusive bastard didn’t know when to stop. She found the energy thread linking their thoughts together and severed it abruptly. The first sign of wariness crossed Alec’s face.

  “Kayla?”

  She clenched her fist and swung at him, connecting squarely with his jaw. He flinched from the blow and took a step back, astonished by the attack. Damn, that felt good, she thought even though her hand was throbbing.

  “You arrogant, manipulative prick,” she hissed.

  Alec stared at her, clearly shocked that her emotions had shifted so quickly. She took another step forward and shoved him. Hard. He took another half-step back and tried to capture her wrists, but she jerked away from him. “How dare you use Carl to get me to come back here. The whole audit thing was nothing but an elaborate ruse, wasn’t it? And the surveillance to track my every move? Now you’re dumping energy on me like you’re hoping I fall at your feet?”

  “Kayla,” he began, holding up a hand and gingerly rubbing his jaw. “Let me explain.”

  “What’s there to explain?” she demanded, pleased his smug and cocky expression was gone. At least now they were both feeling unbalanced. “The only reason I’m here right now is to tell you to back off. If you keep harassing Carl or anyone else I care about, I swear I’ll walk out of these towers and you’ll never see me again. But I’ll kick your ass so completely before I leave that you won’t be able to walk for a week.”

  “Excuse me, Mistress Rath’Varein,” a voice interrupted. Kayla spun in surprise to see Brant standing by the door. Oops. She’d been so focused on Alec that she’d completely forgotten about him. Judging by the look on the security escort’s face, he’d seen and heard the entire thing.

  “My name is Kayla,” she reminded him, annoyed all over again. “What the hell is it with all of you and these stupid titles?”

  Genuine amusement filled his expression at her words. “Excuse me, Kayla, but perhaps it would be better to have this conversation inside? It might be difficult to explain why one of the High Council leaders was beaten up right outside your door.”

  Kayla crossed her arms over her chest. Brant had a point, but she still hadn’t finished making hers. She turned back to Alec. “Fine. Come inside and risk getting your ass handed to you. Otherwise, walk away. Your choice.”

  Turning around, she strode back into the common area to find Seara and Carl had both returned. Seara was seated, and although the older woman appeared elegant and refined, her forehead was creased with worry. Carl stood next to the couch with a knowing expression on his face as though he’d guessed what had occurred outside in the hall. Keeping his voice polite, Carl offered a shallow bow to the High Council leader. “Hello, Master Tal’Vayr.”

  Alec rubbed his injured jaw and acknowledged the greeting with a brief nod. Seara’s gaze flitted back and forth between Alec and Kayla. “I heard shouting. Carl assured me everything was fine though. Alec, are you well?”

  Alec’s gaze didn’t leave Kayla. “Your daughter is displeased with me again, Seara.”

  Kayla gave an unladylike snort and waved her hand in the air. “He’s fine. For the moment anyway. He’s got a hard head so there’s no permanent damage.”

  Seara gasped in shock. “What did you do?”

  “Nothing that wasn’t warranted,” Kayla replied, shrugging and then pointing her finger at Alec. “I want your word right now that you’re going to stop all the nonsense and leave me the hell alone. No more games with the surveillance. No more messages. No more elaborate equipment. No more checking up on me.”

  Alec’s jaw clenched, but she had to give him some credit. The High Council leader kept his cool for the most part. He flicked the barest glance at Carl before turning back to her.

  “Contrary to what you may believe, the audit and surveillance aren’t my way of punishing this trader for his indiscretion. As part of my duties, my goal is to protect the towers. That’s what I’m doing. Even if you were living in the towers, I would still be doing exactly what I’m doing.”

  Kayla paused and cocked her head curiously. Alec seemed to be telling the truth, but it was hard to tell without their telepathic connection. She hesitated for a moment and then reached toward him to reestablish their mental connection. Her energy meshed seamlessly with his, and she realized he’d been waiting for her. The familiar sense of him filled her, but it was annoying that his nearness was a comfort.

  Alec’s voice filled her head as he spoke telepathically, “You can always reach for me, Kayla. I’ll always be here for you.”

  “Stop it. You’re confusing me. I just wanted to know if you were telling the truth.”

  “Then feel my thoughts and my sincerity.”

  Knowing he could sense her unease, Kayla bit her lip and asked aloud, “So you’re saying this whole audit thing has nothing to do with getting me to come back here?”

  “Not in the way you think. We asked all the traders to supply us with their records. This is part of an OmniLab investigation. We aren’t accusing them of anything. In fact, Carl was asked to come here to help us go through their files. I believe he may be able to help expedite our analysis.”

  She didn’t sense any deception from him and frowned, wondering if she had misread the situation. Carl looked as perplexed as she did.

  “What are you hoping to find?”

  Alec hesitated and then said, “It’s a long story. We can discuss it later once you’ve settled in.”

  “I don’t want to upset your mother by discussing this now. It’s an emotional subject for her,” he added silently.

  Knowing Alec was protective of Seara, Kayla immediately nodded in agreement. She might be curious to learn the truth, but not at Seara’s expense.

  Alec gestured to Brant. “Seara, you remember Brant Mason, don’t you?”

  Seara gave the man a charming smile. “Of course. It’s always a pleasure, Mr. Mason. I’m sorry you had to witness all of this. You’re working with Director Borshin now, aren’t you?”

  “I’m honored to see you again, Mistress Rath’Varein,” Brant said with a bow. “I’ve been temporarily reassigned from tower security to handle some affairs for Director Borshin and Master Tal’Vayr.”

  When Seara nodded, Alec turned back to Kayla. “Regardless of what happened outside, I’m glad you decided to return. Unfortunately, things in the towers have been somewhat unsettled since my father’s death. Until they’re back to normal, we’re taking a few slight precautions. It’s nothing for you to be concerned about, but I’ve asked Brant to act as your security escort in the event you decide to e
xplore the towers on your own. He has the clearance to take you anywhere you need to go and can answer any questions you have.”

  Kayla glanced at the man and shrugged. The thought of having a babysitter was annoying, but at least she got a weapon out of it. Losing him was always a possibility if he became a pest. Maybe he could even point her in the right direction of trying to find out more information about these abilities. She glanced at Seara, debating whether she could ask her for some guidance. Although, Kayla had the sneaking suspicion Seara would probably encourage her to ask Alec for training.

  Alec sat on one of the couches and leaned back, draping an arm over the back of the couch. The man seemed to exude power without even trying, and Kayla felt the pull along the connection they shared. Taking the opportunity to explore their bond, she realized being this close to him made the connection feel even stronger. Everything inside her was screaming to channel energy toward him. She wondered if he felt the same way and was just better at hiding it. As though Alec sensed her careful exploration of their bond, his eyes warmed and he offered her a slow smile.

  Frustrated and unwilling to give in to her desires, Kayla sat on the couch opposite from him. ”I love Carl, dammit.” Alec’s eyes flashed with emotion, but his expression remained neutral. He continued to watch her, almost waiting and daring her to channel energy toward him.

  Annoyed both at herself and him, Kayla decided to focus on the issues at hand. “Okay, so you’re doing some sort of investigation which has nothing to do with getting me to come to the towers. Fine. I believe you. I’m not apologizing for hitting you though. You deserved it for the other two times I wanted to hit you and you stopped me.”

  Carl coughed as though trying not to laugh. Seara merely sighed and folded her hands in her lap.

  Alec inclined his head. “I believe that was the first time in my life someone actually hit me.”

  “Definitely not the first time someone wanted to though,” Kayla retorted.

  He gave her another slow smile. “You’re probably right.”

  “Stop being charming. It’s pissing me off,” she told him silently. Alec’s smile grew even wider, and Kayla mentally kicked herself. Time to focus on why they were here. “Did you ever find out anything about that aircraft?”

  Alec nodded, and his expression grew serious. “Yes, thank you for sending over that image. It helped speed up our analysis quite a bit. It turns out the emblem you pieced together is from another facility. They call themselves the ‘Coalition’. They were originally established back when the tower construction was in its infancy. It was a collaborative effort of several pre-war governments to create a secure facility that could withstand natural and man-made disasters. After the war, communications with different areas mostly shut down. Since we never advertised OmniLab as being anything other than a private medical and research center, it’s doubtful they knew about our existence until recently.”

  Carl had been silent up until then and casually moved to sit next to Kayla. “Do you know why they’re in our flight zone area?”

  “Not yet.” Alec replied, eyeing Carl’s proximity to Kayla. “We suspect they are conducting surveillance and mapping the areas. Our communication experts have been trying to contact them since this morning. They haven’t yet responded to our inquiries. We’re currently on high alert. The size of their surveillance aircraft leads us to believe they have at least one base camp nearby. Drones were dispatched this morning to try to determine their location and intent.”

  Kayla frowned. She didn’t have any experience with other groups, so she was at a loss. Up until then, OmniLab was the only “big bad” she’d had to endure. “Are they a threat?”

  “It’s too soon to say, but we’re being cautious. They’re one of the larger remaining facilities with satellite camps spread throughout the world. We’ve never had any sort of dealings or conflicts with them in the past. It’s my understanding they’ve absorbed several smaller facilities over the years. If they’re looking to add OmniLab to their ranks, they’ll be disappointed. We have no interest in being under their rule. We’ll hold our own, if that’s what’s necessary. Until they engage us in a dialogue, however, most of this is speculation. In the meantime, our defense systems have been activated and we’re monitoring the situation.”

  Kayla rubbed her arms to ward off the cold chill that went through her. It sounded like Alec was taking the situation seriously. She wanted to know more about the defense system they had in place, but the worried expression on Seara’s face made her switch gears. Remembering the samples in her bag, she leaned forward. “Oh, I brought those water samples with me. Is there any chance we can get them analyzed?”

  “Of course. If you want to take care of it tonight, I’ll contact the lab and let them know to expect us. I’ll also make arrangements for dinner afterward.” Alec paused and considered her for a long moment. ”Provided, of course, you can keep your hands to yourself.”

  She rolled her eyes at his double meaning. ”Don’t piss me off and we have a deal.”

  Alec smiled and pulled out his commlink. At the mention of going out, Seara stood and clasped her hands together excitedly. “Well, since you’ve gotten your little spat out of the way, I found the most gorgeous dress the other day for you, Kayla. You can wear it to dinner.”

  Panicked at the thought of wearing another evening dress and heeled shoes, Kayla swore under her breath. Carl laughed outright at her horrified expression. She glared at him and muttered, “I’d like to see you wear one of those getups. Then we’ll see who’s laughing.”

  At Kayla’s dour expression, Seara gave her an indulgent smile. “It’s not bad. It’s nothing like last time. This is a much more casual affair.”

  She eyed her mother warily, not believing the woman understood the concept of casual. “Please tell me there are no crazy shoes.”

  “No crazy shoes,” Seara promised.

  “All right,” Kayla agreed reluctantly and stood. Seara took her hand and practically dragged her down the hallway.

  Carl was still chuckling when Kayla and Seara disappeared around the corner. After they were gone, he turned his attention back to Alec.

  The High Council leader pressed a button on his commlink and a woman’s voice answered. “Sheila, let Dr. Bathrin know I’m going to need access to his lab. Also, contact the maître d’ at Bliss. I’d like a private reservation for four. We’ll be there sometime after six.”

  “Of course, Master Tal’Vayr. Is there anything else you need?”

  “That will be all,” he said and terminated the connection.

  Alec stood and slipped the commlink back into his pocket. Appearing completely at ease in Seara’s quarters, he walked over to the bar against the wall and poured himself a drink. Alec turned to Carl and gestured to the bar. “Care to join me? Brant’s working, or I’d offer him a glass.”

  Carl glanced at the security officer and nodded. If Alec wanted to play nice, he should probably take advantage of it. If Carl’s suspicions were correct, it wouldn’t last long.

  Alec poured another glass of the dark, amber liquid and handed it to him. Carl took a drink and watched as Alec absently rubbed his injured jaw.

  He could relate. It wasn’t that long ago he’d been the recipient of one of Kayla’s enthusiastic greetings. “For being so petite, she packs a hell of a punch, doesn’t she?”

  “Yes, she does,” Alec admitted, took a sip, and then glanced down the empty hallway. “But she’s absolutely breathtaking when she’s furious.”

  Carl’s expression darkened, and he lowered his glass. That took less time than he expected. Alec might be baiting him, but Carl wasn’t going to let the comment go without reminding him of Kayla’s intentions. “She doesn’t plan on staying here. We’re leaving as soon as I’m finished in the towers.”

  “I’m aware of your plans,” Alec acknowledged, seemingly unperturbed by Carl’s comment. The council leader’s unconcerned response only served to heighten Carl’s suspicions.
His next question set Carl even more on edge. “You’ve known her far longer than I have. Tell me, does she frequently do that?”

  “Hit people?” Carl guessed.

  “Mmhmm,” Alec replied. “Or get angry enough that her eyes look like green fire.”

  Carl swirled the drink in his glass, wondering what sort of game the High Council leader was playing. “Only when you piss her off. Kayla grew up in a different world, Master Tal’Vayr.” He didn’t bother to hide the disdain from his voice at the title. Kayla and the other ruin rats were rubbing off on him more than he thought.

  Brant stiffened slightly at his insolent tone, but Alec held up his hand to stop him from responding. Carl’s jaw tightened as he studied the security officer. At the very least, Brant’s presence was a neat little reminder of the power play at work within the tower. Dammit. He needed to be more careful. If he wasn’t so worried about Kayla struggling to deal with this energy bond, he wouldn’t have encouraged her to come here.

  Turning back to Alec, Carl continued, “Titles, cold looks, and carefully worded jabs aren’t part of Kayla’s make up. She’ll tell anyone exactly what she thinks of them and worry about the consequences later. She took a swing at me back when she thought she was still a ruin rat.”

  Alec’s eyes glinted at the news as he leaned forward. “Out of curiosity, what did you do to provoke her?”

  Carl hesitated. This new role reversal was opening his eyes. It was easier to understand the ruin rats’ reluctance to discuss their personal business with traders if this was how it felt. Carl eyed Alec with suspicion, unwilling to discuss his private history with Kayla but unable to outright refuse without creating more problems. He decided to settle on just revealing the basic facts. “It was when I was still trying to recruit her. She fell through a floor in the ruins and injured herself. I paid off her camp leader to keep her above ground until she healed up. She was pissed off enough to hunt me down and let me know exactly what she thought of my interference.”